West Chester Takes Over Top Spots at PSAC Championships

MECHANICSBURG, Pennsylvania, February 23. LED by seven first-place finishes, including five victories in all five women's events, West Chester finds itself in first-place in both the men's and women's standings after day two of the 2007 PSAC Championships being held at Cumberland Valley High School Natatorium.

The West Chester women currently have 279 points, followed by defending champion Clarion with 148 points. Indiana (Pa.), Shippensburg and Bloomsburg round out the top-five.

The defending champion Golden Ram men currently have 269 points, 32 ahead of second-place Clarion. Shippensburg is in third with Kutztown and Edinboro in fourth and fifth, respectively.

Senior Kathrin Dumitru (Kunzell, Germany) and freshman Jackie Borkowski (Norristown/Methacton) of West Chester turned in the top women's performances on Friday evening, each winning individual events while teaming up as part of the Golden Rams' 200-yard freestyle relay team that took first in a season-best time of 1:37.50.

Dumitru posted an NCAA "A" cut time of 2:04.89 to win the 200-yard IM while Borkowski took first in the 50-yard freestyle with a mark of 24.05 seconds, also good enough for an NCAA "A" cut time.

Other champions for West Chester on Friday night included sophomore Katie Brosseau (Rogersville, Mo./Logan-Rogersville) who captured her second title in as many nights by taking first in the 500-yard freestyle.

Dumitru was also a member of the Golden Rams' 400-yard medley relay team that placed first after posting an NCAA "A" cut time of 3:53.62.

The Clarion women were able to overtake Indiana (Pa.) for second-place on Friday after scoring 125 points, 34 of which came from the Golden Eagles' 200 free relay team that placed second, just 0.33 seconds off West Chester's winning pace.

On the men's side, West Chester and Clarion each picked up two victories in the five contested events with the Golden Rams earning championships in the 200-yard IM and 400-yard medley relay. The Golden Eagles took home first in the 200 free relay and 50 free.

West Chester junior Bart Ostrowski (Poland/SMS) won the 200 IM in 1:53.80, nearly five seconds faster than his previous season-best and 0.30 seconds ahead of Pawel Glowiak of Indiana (Pa.).

In the 50 free, Clarion senior Adley Kilgore (Airville/Red Lion) posted one of two NCAA "A" cut times in the event to capture his second title in the last three years with a mark of 20.60 seconds. West Chester freshman Brendan Fanslau (Landsdale/North Penn) also posted an NCAA "A" cut with a time of 20.85 seconds.

Kilgore was also a member of the Golden Eagles' 200-yard freestyle relay team that posted a new PSAC championship meet record of 1:22.51 to finish first ahead of West Chester who finished in 1:23.11. Both marks were NCAA "A" cut times.

The only other winner on Friday was Shippensburg senior Mike Owen (Carlisle/Big Spring) who captured his second-straight 500-yard freestyle championship in a time of 4:35.31. He was the only swimmer in the championship final that was not from West Chester or Clarion.